Doing Lunch

Dave took me to lunch.
"Let's go to McDonald's because it's right by Home Depot."
"OK."
As we are parking, he says:
"I like Home Depot. It's nice inside."
"It's a hardware store."
"It's still nice."

Once inside, we are having ten feet of copper wire measured and cut by a guy who has measured and cut wire for Dave before, as well as given lots of how-to advice. Dave smiles at me:
"This is fun!"

He needs paneling for the inside of Tower 13. He shows me what he is considering. I tell him why this is a bad choice, based on artistic principles right out of a book. We decided that wall board is the best so he gets a cart and starts loading it on. He is very cheerful.
"You're saving me a whole bunch of money!"

I go out and pull the truck into the loading area while he stands in line to pay.
We go on to McDonald's where we order lunch from the dollar menu.

I had a good time.

Monday Bunday--Cutie Agouti

I am republishing this to correct a typo and add an email to send a pic of your agouti for Mondah Bunday of next week.


This is Silver. Agouti describes her color. It means that each hair has bands of light and dark, so if you part the hair, if she lets you, the hair close to her skin is very light, but each hair has a very dark tip. This is not the same as having a very fine light undercoat. Each hair has destinct bands of light, medium, and dark.

She loves to be petted, so she will let you see the hair, but only if you have the attitude of being honored by petting her, not to satisfy your curiosity. You have to realize that your place in the pecking order is below hers.

Silver came from the animal shelter in Oakland, CA.

Agouti is a beautiful color. Many agouti buns wait for forever homes. Here are some agouti buns waiting at Rabbit Haven of Santa Cruz/Scotts Valley. If you have an agouti bun, send me a picture and your rabbit can be on next week's Monday Bunday!

Antonio Bunderas


Napoleon Bunnyparts


Tracy, with his pal Spencer


Elvis Parsley (we love Elvis)


Lila

Now on eBay

You thought my LAST blog entry was a yawner, wait 'til you read this!
I have listed two things on eBay.


Whoa Whoa Whoa Hay Hay Hay Primitive Sweatshirt Lg for 59.00, and Mouse Pad A/P Saddle Pad for $131.50. Both have free shipping to the US and Canada and US Armed Forces Overseas. You can go to Doublecatbatik on ebay to read full descriptions and see just WHY these things are worth that much!

These two sweatshirts are almost done.


and I worked on this future saddle pad today.

Ominously Fall

I had such a fantastic drive yesterday with Nutmeg and Roger. The weather was so pleasant, even though it was ominously fall.

I have ordered a rubber bumper for the trailer and Dave has found a brake light that needs replacing. I think we can get a new one on ebay.
Then, new tires. Then, to Roger's to put Janow to the cart. Bing Bing Bing!

I have three things, one saddle pad and two primitive sweatshirts, that are so close to done that I can't stand it!!!!

I also have to work on the crane project. winter is coming too fast. can't batik in winter.
Did I put this picture of the crane project last time? I can't remember.
I am thinking of opening up the ETSY store again, but it can be such a time-suck! I don't know.

I have to get a couple thing on ebay today. Ew. Tedious task.

This and That

Yesterday was a little bit crazy. Took Joseph to the podiatrist for an ingrown toenail and that disrupted the whole day. For both of us. Parents of the arch enemy from the last three years were heading into the office as we came out. We don't know what that was about. Joseph and I looked at each other. While we don't wish ill on the kid, (I don't, anyway) any continued problems he has that do not involve Joseph indicate that the problem is not Joseph. JROTC drill team motivates and captivates Joseph.

Here is the Milpitas High JROTC Drill Team in 2008
Janow got longed in just a halter, but I took him to the big arena in front, which is the most interesting for him. Nancy had put out a pole on two plastic Blox, so I longed him over that. He is not and never has been a jumper, so it was all new to him and pretty interesting for him.

My new Myler bit came in the better size. I hope it is right.

I somehow got Dave to watch the first two episodes of the show 24, season 3. Now he is hooked. It is so hard to get him to forgo broadcast TV because he can't watch it anytime he wants, he has to watch it NOW, WHILE IT IS BROADCAST. But he is so totally sucked in to 24. Ha ha ha(evil laugh).

Monday Bunday

Carrie came to Rabbit Haven as a stray. She is spayed. She is a small bun and looks very dainty when she hops around the house. She is a little shy but very gentle and perfect with her litterbox. She is used to living around other rabbits so should be able to bond to other rabbits easily if your bunny needs a friend. Talk to Auntie Heather for full details - code WAS

Rabbit Haven in Scotts Valley is dedicated to finding homes for rabbits who need them, and for making rabbit homes better. Their website has tons of info about rabbits that will help you care for your rabbit, decide if a rabbit is the right pet for you, and find a rabbit that needs a home. They have adoption fairs so you can talk to rabbit people. If they are too far, there is probably a rescue group in your area that does the same.

Here is an article from the Rabbit Haven website. Horse people will be especially amused!

HOW NOT TO EXPLODE A BALE OF HAY

You are making too many trips to the feed store to buy small bags of hay or straw, so you decide that it's time to buy a bale. After the store has loaded it into your car, you get it home and wrestle it into your storage area.

When you cut the baling wire, you wish you hadn't. You have just opened Pandora's box. It may take several messy bales before you discover the steps:

1. Turn the bale so that one end is toward you and the three bands of wire, or twine, are parallel to the ground.

2. At the end facing you, clip the bottom wire and the second wire but not the top.

3. Bring your bunnies' haybox right up to the cut end and pull hay out from the underside of the bale into the haybox.

The top wire stays on to hold everything in place. As the hay gets used, you can tighten up the top so that it continues to hold the diminishing bale.

See how easy that was.

No Sale

I had a phone call last night.
"Hello?"
"Hi, I'm from a charity with firefighter in the name. How are you this evening?"
"I am grumpy."
"Aw! Don't be grumpy!
"I can be grumpy if I want."
"I don't want you to be grumpy".
"Then take me off your list."
"Don't you like firefighters?"
"Firefighters are fine. I don't like the list."

I'm off the list

I was at The Great Mall once when someone at a kiosk tried to sell me energy efficient windows.
"No thanks! I already have windows in my house. I looked out of one just this morning!"

You would think people would stop trying to sell me things.
You would be wrong.

Yesterday...

Joy took this picture of us.

Yesterday I longed Janow in harness with two lines through the terrets. He was doing well. I thought I'd try more changes of direction in trot. We were in the big arena in front, so there was lots of room to mess up, but we were great! We did a bunch. He thought it was interesting and really picked up on his impulsion. When he gets bored, he drags his feet.


Worked on fabric yesterday. This is going to be an applique on a ready made saddle pad. I ordered some of those this morning. I added a new pair of bell boots and some hind brush boots too. Janow's are wearing out. His bell boots are older than he is, they were originally Mac's. The hind boots are from a tack swap last spring. I got them from Norma for $5. I've known Norma since about the time I bought the bell boots. Time for new stuff, but I'll keep the old friends.

A Uniform After All

There is a uniform in high school! For a few students anyways. To be worn by Junior Naval ROTC students on Wednesdays.


(Those shoes are going to kill your feet!)"You should to wear the shoes a little bit each day to get used to them before you have to wear them all day."

"Mom has a good idea. You should do that."

What you've all been waiting for............

...........well, some of you, anyway.
Here is the annual photo of the first day of school. His uniform from last year in one, and his uniform for this year in the second. Except...wait....no uniform for this year! This is the first year of free dress. Milpitas High is not a uniform school!!

Dave has begun work on my trailer. He wanted to do it himself to save money. We reached an impasse where it could not be made safe without parts available only to dealers or welding, so we have to find out how much it costs. Then compare to the cost of buying the welding equipment so he can do it himself.

As you can see, our entry is still a staging area for building materials going to the tower. Last weekend featured a rattlesnake sighting.

Janow is doing well with his training. I can have him trot while I am ground driving him and guide him into a longing circle and longe him with both reins. I am impressed by this myself.

I have seen another cart wreck and have begun to believe that you cannot spend too much time on ground work. When Dave finally gets my trailer ready, the harness and driving will be so second nature to Janow that adding the drag, and then the cart, will be pretty easy. I hope.

Dyed Up

I tie dyed Dave's underpants. He deserved it.

I told him I would help with the tower by painting. He had only a few things to do before it rained this fall/winter. Painting was one, and I can help with that. At the same time he could be working on another pre-rain task. OK. That was the plan.

What actually happened was that I had to get the animals at home all fixed up for everyone to be gone over night,(Janow, Silver, Paula, Mary Shelley, and Whiskers) and I had to shop for and prepare the food we would eat. I can't eat the pre-cooked frozen entrees he and Joseph can eat up there without getting migraines. The guys eat better when I come up.

So....by the time I got there, Dave had painted about 85 percent of what I was going to paint. I had little to do, and the tower was not any further along to being good for winter. My function was to bring better food and keep him company.

By helping the tower to be ready for winter, I was also moving up Dave's ability to fix up the horse trailer so I could take him to Roger's to get him "put to" the cart.

By going up and helping with the tower, I was missing some time to work on saddle pads and primitive shirts to get some money for the stuff I need to buy for the cart. I have purchased three bits so far with a fourth on order. Sometimes it takes a while to find the right one. They are expensive, three have been over $100. Spending money gives Dave the creeps.

So: I was pretty grumpy. Dave didn't understand WHY I was grumpy, all I had to do was sit around and relax. He had hurried up on the painting, getting an early start, so I wouldn't have to do much.

This is the closest we have been to an argument in over 20 years. Last night we had a long talk. We clarified what we meant when we said "bla bla" and why we found it insulting when the other one said "bla bla". We're good.

Unfortunately, this is fiber reactive dye and it doesn't wash out.

Fortunately, it's a bad pair, so thin and fragile that a mere fart could blast it to lint.